10 Best Movies Summer 2009

The ten best movies for the summer of 2009 included a good subset for the whole year. There are a few dramas in the bunch, a bevy of comedies, and even a documentary. Who says summer movies must only be light and substance-free? Obviously, 2009 had a lot going for it.

1. "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" -- This 2009 edition of the Harry Potter series was a big money-maker, just like all the rest. Yet even adults can appreciate it for its high quality movie making.
2. "Public Enemies" -- In this one from the summer of 2009, you get Johnny Depp, as well as a few of the biggest criminals in United States history. It met the criteria for summer action content, while at the same time throwing in a healthy dosage of history, too.
3. "Julie & Julia" -- Cooks, and those who love cooks. That's what this film could have been subtitled. Julia Child was a fascinating character, no matter how, uh, she sliced. It was also surprising that this film was a big summer hit in 2009.
4. "It Might Get Loud" -- Real rock music fans loved this one. It featured Jimmy Page, Jack White and The Edge. These are three of the best guitarists -- ever. This 2009 film documents when they got together to share war stories.
5. "Inglourious Basterds" -- Quentin Tarantino directed this World War II film, which featured the star power of Brad Pitt. People love war movies, and this film was no different.
6. "The Hangover" -- What do you do when a hangover truly makes you forget the day before? That's what drives this 2009 summer comedy. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, especially when you can't remember what you did.
7. "The Hurt Locker" -- This 2009 summer movie was about bombs, instead of being a bomb. It's the kind of movie that make you glad you were in a theater watching, instead of actually being in Iraq and dealing with threatening bombs.
8. "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs" -- This 2009 deals with our furry prehistoric friends as they must face a few more dangerous prehistoric friends. It was a 2009 summer movie perfect for the kids, but still funny to the adults.
9. "Brüno" -- Sacha Baron Cohen often goes over the edge. But in this case, he leaves the edge far behind to the point where it can never more be located. This was not a 2009 summer kids comedy, that's for sure. Unless, of course, you wanted to expose the little ones to a bunch of gay stereotypes.
10. "Funny People" -- Comedy and bad health don't often go together well, unless it's a harmless bonk on the head. This 2009 summer film finds a comedian being forced to get serious. Naturally, that makes it uncomfortable and sometimes funny.